California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a new law Monday that prohibits school districts from notifying parents if their child uses different pronouns or identifies as a different gender than what’s listed on school records.
AB 1955 has been praised by LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, who say the ban helps protect transgender and gender non-conforming students who live in unwelcoming homes.
Tony Huang, executive director of LGBTQ+ advocacy group Equality California, said the bill was “critically important” to protect LGBTQ+ young people from coercive outing policies.
California Governor Gavin Newsom greets people near Common Man Roadside Market & Deli, Monday, July 8, 2024, in Hooksett, New Hampshire. (AP Photo/Stephen Sene)
“[AB 1955] “We will provide resources to parents and families of LGBTQ+ students to support them in having conversations on their terms and put in place important safeguards to prevent retaliation against teachers and school staff who foster a safe and supportive school environment for all students,” Hoang said.
But the bill also has many opponents.
The conservative group California Family Council argued the law violates parental rights.
“This bill undermines the fundamental roles of mothers and fathers and puts boys and girls at potential risk,” Council President Jonathan Keller said in a statement. “Mothers and fathers have a constitutional and sacred duty to guide and protect their children, and AB 1955 egregiously violates this sacred duty.”
Newsom attacks democracy in California but wants to spread it across the country
Elon Musk also cited the law as a reason for saying he would move the headquarters of SpaceX and social media Platform X from California to Texas.
“This is the final push. Due to this law and many previous laws that attack both families and businesses, SpaceX will be moving our headquarters from Hawthorne, CA to Starbase, TX,” Musk wrote in a post on X.
Tesla, where Musk serves as CEO, moved its headquarters from Palo Alto, California to Austin in 2021.
The new law comes after some California school districts passed policies requiring parents to be notified if their children want to change their gender, sparking backlash from Democratic state officials who say students have a right to privacy.
Newsom spokesman Brandon Richards said California’s new law will “keep children safe while protecting the important role of parents.”
“This law protects parent-child relationships by preventing politicians and school officials from inappropriately interfering in family matters or trying to control if, when and how families have private conversations,” Richards said.
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AB 1955 also requires the state Department of Education to develop resources for families of LGBTQ+ students in grades seven through high school. The law takes effect in January.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
